Thousands of people are descending on the U.S. capital, Washington, for competing rallies organized by political opponents on the 47th anniversary of one of the most famous speeches in the country's history.
American broadcaster Glenn Beck says his "Restoring Honor" rally will pay tribute to those who embody America's core values. He says the event is not political, although one of the speakers will be former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, a favorite of the country's Tea Party political movement.
The Beck rally has stirred controversy because it takes place on the steps of the memorial honoring President Abraham Lincoln, where civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. gave his "I Have a Dream Speech." That speech was delivered on this day in 1963.
African-American rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, who is leading the second rally, accused Beck Saturday of doing an injustice to the speech on racial equality.
Participants in the "Reclaim the Dream" rally say the struggle for equal rights continues. They will gather at a local high school and then march to the site of a planned memorial for the civil rights leader.
Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters.
